QA Development Tester/Software QA Tester - Volunteer Role

The Donovan's Venom, INC. Is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization dedicated to taking music, art, and entertainment to those who need it the most. The Donovan's Venom, INC. Caters to no particular individual(s) yet pledges relief to impaired or deprived individuals who are in need of musical,visual, comedic, and-or any alternative forms of liberation-through fine art & entertainment. The Donovan's Venom INC. Gives its resources to individuals who don't have the means or access. , Role Description The Donovan’s Venom is seeking Software QA Testers / Software Testing Volunteers to help ensure our websites, applications, digital platforms, and technology projects are reliable, functional, accessible, and ready for users. This is a hands-on volunteer opportunity for individuals who enjoy finding problems, thinking through different user scenarios, documenting defects, and helping development teams deliver a better product. An important part of this role will be helping us build our QA and testing processes from the ground up. We currently do not have an established library of test cases, so volunteers will have the opportunity to help create testing procedures, test cases, documentation, and repeatable QA practices that can be used by the team going forward. Key Responsibilities Develop Test Cases & Testing ProceduresWork with the QA and development team to identify what needs to be tested.Create clear, repeatable test cases and testing checklists for new and existing functionality.Develop test scenarios based on project requirements, user workflows, and acceptance criteria.Identify important edge cases and potential failure points that should be included in testing.Help establish a consistent testing process that future volunteers can follow.Update test cases as features, requirements, and applications change.Perform Functional TestingVerify that features work according to project requirements.Test forms, buttons, navigation, authentication, workflows, and other application functionality.Confirm that features perform as expected under normal user conditions.Identify unexpected behavior, errors, and usability issues.Perform Regression TestingRetest previously working functionality after new features, fixes, or updates are introduced.Help ensure that changes do not unintentionally break existing functionality.Maintain regression-testing checklists as the application evolves.Identify and Document BugsReproduce issues consistently whenever possible.Document clear steps to reproduce defects.Record expected behavior versus actual behavior.Identify the severity and potential impact of defects.Include supporting evidence such as screenshots, screen recordings, logs, or other relevant information when appropriate.Track defects through resolution and retest fixes.Conduct Exploratory TestingGo beyond predefined test cases and interact with applications like a real user.Look for edge cases, unusual workflows, unexpected inputs, and potential usability problems.Test scenarios that may not have been anticipated during development.Use curiosity and critical thinking to discover issues that scripted testing may miss.Support User Acceptance Testing (UAT)Test features from the perspective of actual users.Evaluate whether functionality is intuitive, understandable, and fit for its intended purpose.Provide feedback on the overall user experience.Help determine whether features are ready for broader release.Perform Cross-Browser / Cross-Device TestingTest websites and applications across different browsers, screen sizes, operating systems, and devices when applicable.Identify compatibility issues.Verify responsive behavior across desktop, tablet, and mobile environments where appropriate.Document device- or browser-specific problems.Collaborate With Developers and Project TeamsCommunicate defects and testing results clearly and respectfully.Work with developers and project managers to clarify requirements and acceptance criteria.Participate in team meetings, testing discussions, and release-readiness activities.Work collaboratively to determine the appropriate priority and resolution for identified issues.Build and Maintain QA DocumentationHelp create and maintain test cases, test plans, testing checklists, defect records, and test results.Establish documentation that allows another tester to understand and reproduce testing activities.Help organize QA documentation so that future volunteers can quickly understand the testing process.Update documentation as projects and processes evolve.Help Improve QA ProcessesRecommend improvements to testing procedures and documentation.Help establish repeatable QA practices as The Donovan’s Venom's technology projects grow.Identify gaps in the current testing process.Help determine which types of testing should be incorporated into future development cycles.Contribute ideas for making QA more efficient, consistent, and effective. Minimum Qualifications 1+ year of software testing, QA, technical support, development, or closely related experience preferred.Familiarity with the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).Understanding of basic QA concepts such asTest casesTest scenariosDefect/bug reportingRegression testingFunctional testingExploratory testingUser acceptance testingAbility to think critically about how software can fail or behave unexpectedly.Strong attention to detail.Strong written and verbal communication skills.Ability to document technical issues clearly enough for another person to reproduce them.Ability to work independently in a remote environment.Willingness to collaborate with developers, designers, project managers, and other volunteers.Willingness to learn new tools, technologies, and testing methodologies. Equivalent experience is welcome. Someone with less formal QA experience but strong troubleshooting, technical, software-development, or user-support experience may still be a good fit. Preferred Experience The following would be helpful but are not required Experience testing web applications or mobile applications.Experience creating test cases, test plans, or QA documentation.Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments.Experience with API testing.Experience with database testing or basic SQL.Experience with accessibility testing.Experience with cross-browser or cross-platform testing.Experience working with Git/GitHub.Experience with automated testing or test automation frameworks.Experience working with a nonprofit, startup, open-source project, or other volunteer technology organization. Tools & Technologies Applicants do not need to know every tool listed below. Familiarity with several is helpful, and volunteers should be comfortable learning new tools as needed. Testing & Bug Tracking JiraGitHub IssuesAzure DevOpsTestRail or similar test-management systemsBrowser Developer Tools API Testing PostmanInsomniaREST APIsJSON Development / Collaboration GitGitHubSlackGoogle Docs / Google WorkspaceMicrosoft Teams or similar collaboration platforms Browser & Device Testing Google ChromeMozilla FirefoxMicrosoft EdgeSafariMobile browsers and devices Automation — Nice to Have, Not Required Automation experience is not a requirement for this volunteer position. Our primary need is for people who can perform thoughtful manual, exploratory, functional, regression, usability, and compatibility testing, while also helping us establish a strong QA process. Volunteers with automation experience are absolutely welcome and may have opportunities to help introduce automated testing where it makes sense. However, manual testing and QA experience are equally valuable to us. What Makes Someone Successful in This Role? A successful volunteer tester is someone who Naturally asks, "What happens if I do this?"Enjoys finding problems before users encounter them.Doesn't assume that something works simply because it works once.Can think from both a technical and user perspective.Is comfortable testing beyond the "happy path."Provides constructive feedback rather than simply reporting that something is "broken."Can distinguish between a cosmetic issue and a problem that prevents users from completing an important task.Is comfortable saying, "I don't know, but I'll investigate."Communicates respectfully with developers and other volunteers.Understands that good QA is about improving the product—not blaming the person who wrote it.Is comfortable helping create structure where processes are still developing. Building the QA Foundation This is an opportunity to do more than simply execute existing test scripts. Because our QA process is still being developed, volunteers may have the opportunity to help Establish testing standards and procedures.Develop our initial library of test cases.Create regression-testing checklists.Define bug-reporting standards.Develop testing documentation.Identify which types of testing are most valuable for our projects.Improve how QA fits into our development lifecycle.Establish processes that can be handed down to future QA volunteers. Someone who enjoys building systems and processes will be particularly valuable in this role. Helpful Tidbits for Applicants You Don't Have to Be an Automation Engineer Automation is not the focus of this position. Manual testing, exploratory testing, regression testing, usability testing, compatibility testing, and strong bug reporting are all valuable contributions. If you're an experienced manual tester who has never written an automated test, you can still be an excellent candidate. Real-World Experience Counts Volunteer QA work can provide an opportunity to apply existing skills in a real-world environment while contributing to the organization's technology projects. This may be particularly useful for Experienced QA professionals who want to volunteer their skills.Software developers interested in gaining more QA experience.Students studying computer science, software engineering, cybersecurity, or IT.Career changers building a QA portfolio.Former QA professionals returning to the field.Technical volunteers who enjoy troubleshooting and finding defects.Testers interested in helping establish a QA program from its early stages. Commitment A consistent commitment is preferred, but the exact schedule can be discussed with the team. Because this is a volunteer position, we understand that volunteers have jobs, school, families, and other responsibilities. Reliability and communication are more important than committing to an unrealistic number of hours. If you cannot make a scheduled testing commitment, communicating that with the team in advance is important. Volunteer Status This is a volunteer position, not paid employment. Getting Started New testers should expect an onboarding period where they learn What product or project they will be testing.The current development and QA workflow.How to report defects.Where test cases and documentation are maintained.Who to contact when they discover a blocker.How fixes and releases are communicated.What testing priorities are currently most important. Because the QA process is still developing, volunteers may also have an opportunity to help shape these processes rather than simply follow them. Ideal Candidate You don't need to know everything. You need to be willing to investigate. If you have software-testing experience, enjoy breaking things in order to help make them better, communicate clearly, and want to contribute your technical skills to a nonprofit organization, we'd love to hear from you. Whether you're an experienced QA professional, a manual tester, developer, technical support specialist, student, or someone with strong troubleshooting skills, your perspective can help us build better software and a stronger QA process. Work Environment Fully remoteCollaborative game development environmentCreative and iterative workflow Important Disclaimer This is a volunteer position and does not constitute employment. We are onboarding individuals who are ready to contribute immediately. Please only apply if you are prepared to begin within the next 14 days.